As interest in lunar exploration grows, experts are warning that avoiding collisions in lunar orbit could become a significant challenge.
In the past two years alone, twelve missions have been attempted, nearly half by private companies.
According to The Conversation, cislunar space, the area between Earth and the Moon, is vast — about 2,000 times the volume of Earth's orbital zone. Yet spacecraft often occupy a limited set of stable lunar orbits, meaning the risk of intersecting paths may rise faster than expected. Monitoring is also difficult; most Earth-based sensors struggle to track objects far from our planet, partly due to the Moon’s glare.
Research published in March 2025 in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets shows that even with just 50 satellites in lunar orbit, each may need to manoeuvre four times a year to avoid potential collisions. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already reported manoeuvring its Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft three times in four years, despite only six craft being in orbit at the time.
Experts say better coordination and monitoring could reduce unnecessary manoeuvres. Nasa’s programme for tracking lunar traffic compares operators' data on current and planned spacecraft positions to flag potential close approaches. The Air Force Research Laboratory is also developing the Oracle system, with its first satellite due to launch in 2027. Positioned at a Lagrange point, it will detect objects that Earth-based sensors cannot see.
The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has formed a team to address coordination issues, while the Outer Space Treaty obliges countries to avoid harmful interference, though it does not specify how.
With Nasa's next human mission to the Moon planned for early 2026 and both commercial and government missions rising, experts stress that international cooperation will be key to ensuring safe and sustainable lunar exploration.